20-Minute Health Talk

Part 2 picks up with the lifespan approach — the idea that a girl's health at 15 shapes her health at 50, and that care organized around organ systems misses it entirely. Dr. Rosen walks through the blind spots she still sees in heart disease, brain health and mental health, weighs whether wearables and AI will close gaps or widen them, and explains why she'd rather have accomplices than allies. She closes with a rapid-fire round on the myth she'd most like to retire and the one area she believes deserves far more investment.

Northwell is New York State’s largest heal...

Stacey Rosen, MD, Northwell's senior vice president of women's health, joins host Sandra Lindsay, DHSc, for the first part of their conversation on why women's health was built as a separate category — and what it will take to make it just health. They cover the long-standing exclusion of women from clinical research, the siloed way women are still treated and where the real opportunities are.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Instit...

In Part 2, Dr. Feinberg delves deeper into what “AI-first” really means at Oracle Health and its open, connected platform strategy. He explains why layering AI onto legacy technology limits its power, and how rebuilding on modern, cloud-based infrastructure lets clinical tools anticipate what clinicians and staff actually need. He envisions a near future in which AI supports doctors, nurses and front-line staff alike. Finally, Dr. Feinberg shares his hope that thoughtful application of this technology can meaningfully improve people’s health.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more...

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with David Feinberg, MD, chairman of Oracle Health, to trace his path from aspiring pediatrician to child psychiatrist to health system executive. Dr. Feinberg shares the stories that shaped his career and reflects on how far mental health treatment has come while noting the stigma that still lingers. He also explains how an unplanned turn into hospital administration at UCLA set him on the path to Oracle.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re m...

In Part 1 of this two-part series, host Sandra Lindsay, DHSc, MBA, sits down with Annemarie Stroustrup, MD, MPH, senior vice president and chair of pediatric services at Northwell Health, to talk about phthalates — a large family of plasticizers found throughout NICU equipment — and what her research reveals about their effect on preterm babies long after they leave the hospital.

She explains how these chemicals work, which findings have been most revealing and why assessing their true impact means following children well into adolescence. The conversation also moves beyond the hospital to the makeup, flooring and food containers that...

Risk is never zero — not in the NICU, and not anywhere else in medicine. In Part 2 of their conversation, Sandra and Dr. Stroustrup discuss how families and clinicians weigh risk against benefit, from life-saving neonatal equipment to the childhood vaccine schedule. Dr. Stroustrup addresses the most persistent vaccine myths, shares how new RSV immunizations drove a 65% drop in admissions at Cohen Children's in a single season, and offers practical advice on finding health information you can trust.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated phys...

This year marks 25 years since 9/11 — remembered for the lives lost that day, but also for a health crisis still unfolding for those exposed to Ground Zero's toxic dust and debris. Jacqueline Moline, MD, who helped launch medical surveillance for 9/11-exposed patients within weeks of the attacks, joins Sandra Lindsay, DHSc, MBA, to describe the earliest symptoms she saw — including the relentless "WTC cough" — the far wider range of people affected beyond firefighters and police, from construction workers to Lower Manhattan residents, and how the health toll unfolded in waves over the following decades.

Northwell is New York State’...

What has 25 years of monitoring revealed about 9/11's long-term health toll — from rising cancer rates to newer risks like early cognitive decline and autoimmune disease? In part 2, Dr. Moline explains how scientific understanding evolved, why the biggest barrier to care is awareness rather than access, and what lessons this disaster holds for responding to future public health crises.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next g...

The field of sports medicine isn’t just for serious athletes: The Nicholas Institute for Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma (NISMAT), Northwell’s sports injury clinic, has made sports medicine better, more accessible, and grounded in research. On this episode, the 20-Minute Health Talk team pays a visit to NISMAT to talk to Tak Fukunaga, DPT, sports physical therapist and NISMAT’s Manager of Rehabilitation Services, and Michael Zacchilli, MD, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon at Northwell Greenwich Village Hospital to shed light on what they do to treat people at all levels of physical activity.

Northwell is New Yor...

How do you solve problems as complex as drug pricing or childhood obesity? Chelsea Clinton, vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, pulls back the curtain on data-driven methodology. She and host Chethan Sathya, MD, discuss how the foundation moves beyond good intentions, relying on hard evidence and measurable outcomes to prove impact. Central to this strategy is forging public-private partnerships — even with "unlikely allies" such as major corporations — to create systemic change. Clinton explains why pragmatism and rigorous analysis are essential tools for tackling the world’s most pressing health challenges, ensuring that every initiative is both sustainable and effect...

In part 2, host Chethan Sathya, MD, and guest Chelsea Clinton discuss how to convert hope into action. Their conversation shifts to the future, exploring what it takes to cultivate the next generation of leaders in a world facing immense challenges. She details her work with the Clinton Global Initiative, a platform that empowers young people with the tools to create tangible change. While warning of the threat posed by misinformation, Clinton shares her perspective as a mother on what fuels her drive. Ultimately, she argues for active engagement and the profound responsibility we all have to inspire and build...

Cardiovascular disease remains the number one killer of both women and men in the United States. Most of us will need to see a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon at some point in our lives. But, how do you find the best doctor who is right for you?

In this episode, three experts representing different subspecialties within cardiovascular health offer advice to patients asking: How do I pick a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon?

What motivates a physician to revolutionize health care from a new vantage point? Host Chethan Sathya, MD, speaks with physician-technologist, chief medical officer and author Geeta Nayyar, MD, about her unique professional journey and the critical role of innovation in health care transformation. Dr. Nayyar recounts her "accidental" transition from practicing rheumatologist to a leader in health technology, driven by a desire to impact systemic issues that hindered patient care. She shares how she leveraged her clinical experience to improve digital health workflows at major companies like AT&T and Salesforce, demonstrating the power of a physician’s voice in...

In the second part of their discussion, Dr. Nayyar and Dr. Sathya dive into artificial intelligence and its potential to rehumanize health care. She challenges the notion that AI will replace clinicians, arguing instead that it should augment their capabilities, enabling them to be "faster, smarter, and more able to be compassionate at the bedside." The conversation explores how AI can alleviate administrative burdens and "friction points" in the system — such as scheduling, billing and medication reconciliation — thereby restoring the human connection between doctors and patients. Dr. Nayyar also addresses the spread of misinformation, offering strategies for guiding patients to t...

Host Sandra Lindsay, DHSc is joined by Dawnette Lewis, MD, MBA, director of Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health, to assess the current landscape of maternal morbidity and mortality. Dr. Lewis reveals that the U.S. continues to have one of the highest maternal mortality rates among developed nations, with Black birthing mothers still carrying a disproportionately high burden. She argues that disparities for Black mothers persist even when accounting for varying socioeconomic status, citing historically inequitable care and other systemic barriers that stall progress. The discussion also highlights efforts in New York State to better standardize care and ad...

In the second part of their discussion, Sandra and Dr. Lewis focus on the path forward, detailing concrete systemic solutions and policy changes vital for creating safer outcomes for mothers. Dr. Lewis advocates for extending postpartum Medicaid coverage nationwide, stressing that the majority of maternal mortality occurs in the year following delivery — a critical window for intervention. The conversation also covers New York State's vital data-driven research into disparate C-section rates and their associated risks, as well as crucial advice for self-advocacy and the importance of multidisciplinary care and community support.

Northwell is New York State’s larg...

What was it really like to lead New York City’s public health response during the darkest days of the Covid-19 pandemic? In the first of a two-part conversation, 20-Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, is joined by friend and colleague, Dave Chokshi, MD, the city's former Health Commissioner. Dr. Chokshi shares his personal story, tracing his path from Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina to the forefront of public health. He provides a candid, behind-the-scenes look at the immense challenges of communicating evolving science in a crisis, the difficulty of balancing public health with economic and personal realities, and th...

In the second half of their discussion, Dr. Sathya and Dr. Chokshi shift from reflecting on the pandemic to charting a path forward. How do we move from a state of polarization to one of collaboration? Dr. Chokshi details his work with the Common Health Coalition to "dissolve silos" and unite the health sector around common goals. He tackles the critical challenge of proving the ROI of "upstream" preventive care and discusses how technology like AI can finally help bridge the gap between medical breakthroughs and real-world delivery of care.

Ending on a powerful note of optimism...

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, welcomes Emily Kaplan, co-founder of Broken Science Initiative and MetFix, a novel approach to fitness and nutrition. Kaplan explains why chronic disease continues to rise even as more Americans go to the gym, arguing that nutrition — not just exercise — is central to better health outcomes. The conversation explores insulin, mitochondrial dysfunction, seed oils, sugar, and the biological mechanisms she believes drive obesity, fatty liver disease, and metabolic illness.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making b...

In part 2 of this 3-part episode, Emily Kaplan describes how MetFix gyms and coaches work alongside physicians to help patients make sustainable lifestyle changes, especially around food, exercise, and metabolic disease. She shares examples of doctors integrating gyms into their practices, using coaches to support patients between annual visits, and creating condition-specific classes for people with type 2 diabetes, menopause-related concerns, and other chronic health issues.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Inst...

In the third segment, the conversation turns from metabolic health to scientific culture itself. Kaplan shares the story behind Broken Science, tracing her background in journalism and her interest in nutrition policy, scientific incentives, and how public health narratives are shaped. She discusses concerns about peer review, statistical significance, replication, and the ways scientific certainty can be overstated in medicine and public communication.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medi...

20 Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, welcomes Dr. Jackie Gerhart, Chief Medical Officer of the health technology giant Epic Systems. Dr. Gerhart shares her unconventional journey from a small-town family physician with a background in engineering to a leader at one of the world's most influential EMR companies. The conversation delves into the critical topic of change management, exploring the keys to helping clinicians adopt new tools and how data can prove the value of evolving workflows.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 af...

In part 2, the discussion shifts to the future, as Dr. Gerhart outlines Epic's vision for the broader health tech ecosystem and its philosophy on integrating with partners. Discover how the role of EHR is evolving into the future of care, powered by data from wearables, community sources, and real-world evidence. A key focus is the transformative power of AI and large medical models (LMMs), which aim to predict the "next medical event" and accelerate diagnoses and cures.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated ph...

Joining host Chethan Sathya, MD, are the three authors of Information Sick — Joanne Kenen, Joshua Sharfstein, MD and Lymari Morales — for a candid look at the erosion of trust in public health. Pointing to the collapse of local newsrooms, the rise of social media echo chambers, and the pressures of an election-year crisis, they reflect on how crisis communication moved from a single authoritative voice to a fragmented landscape where headlines overstate certainty, public health is underfunded, and leaders face threats. 

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views...

In part 2, the group pivots to solutions, discussing how to distinguish “trusted” from “credible” sources, exploring ways to find common ground across divides without endorsing harmful claims, and underscoring how shifting official guidance and muddled signals complicate the moment. The takeaway: focus on in‑person engagement, credible messengers, and policies built in draft with public input—plus a note of optimism that shared goals for healthy families and communities can anchor the path forward.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Johns Hopkins University.

Northwell...

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Robert Pearl, MD — Stanford professor, former CEO of Kaiser Permanente, and author of ChatGPT, MD — to trace his journey from Long Island roots and cleft lip/palate missions to leading one of the nation’s largest integrated health systems. Dr. Pearl shares his unexpected pivot from the operating room to administration, and what it was like to step into a leadership role during a financial crisis. This conversation sets the case for integrated, capitated care and explores why technology only transforms healthcare when it's coupled with operational excellence.

Northwell is New Yo...

Dr. Sathya dives into Dr. Pearl’s book, ChatGPT, MD, leading to a candid, forward-looking discussion about generative AI’s potential to make care continuous — not episodic — especially in chronic disease management. They explore Utah’s move to allow AI to monitor chronic conditions and renew meds, and why clinician-led adoption is essential. Dr. Pearl discusses training LLMs on real-world health system data and the implications for primary and specialty care capacity. 

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthr...

In part one, host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Aletha Maybank, MD — nationally recognized physician and CEO of Novellawells — to hear about her origin story that begins with a Fisher Price doctor kit and a beloved pediatrician and grows into a career shaped by proximity, community and equity. Maybank reflects on being raised by a single mother who made intentional choices to expose her to diverse people and home realities — teaching an early truth: You can’t understand what people value unless you get close.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer...

In the second episode, Dr. Maybank traces the rise of chief health equity roles (including her own at the American Medical Association), the post 2020 surge in equity and the recent regression from those values. She explains that health equity is distinct from DEI and offers a plain spoken definition that all can embrace: Ensure everyone has the power, ability, conditions and resources to obtain optimal health.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Fein...

20-Minute Health Talk host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Craig Spencer, MD, — ER physician, global health leader, and public health professor at Brown University — for a story that stretches from childhood dreams of “sharkology” to the front lines of the 2014 West Africa Ebola outbreak. [Note that this was recorded prior to the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.] Dr. Spencer explains why he walked away from a surgical path, moved to China, and ultimately chose emergency medicine to “treat anyone, for anything, anywhere.”

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with...

Part two turns to home turf: Covid-19’s early days in New York City. Dr. Spencer addresses what public health experts got right — including the lifesaving impact of Operation Warp Speed — and what went wrong. Dr. Spencer and Dr. Sathya also unpack the collapse of trust in medical science, arguing that public health’s dramatic successes in saving lives and protecting populations at home and abroad can’t remain invisible if experts want to convince the general public — especially when fear, loss, and economic pain reshape perceptions.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employ...

In the first episode of this two-part 20-Minute Health Talk, Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with Don Berwick, MD — former Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator (CMS) and founder of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI). Dr. Berwick traces his path from early harrowing medical experiences to a career dedicated to improving patient care and healthcare delivery. The conversation moves to how patient solidarity could become a force for change and why simplifying to a single, public payer could create conditions that could fix the delivery of health care while actually improving patient choice and lowering costs.

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In episode two, Dr. Berwick challenges some basic assumptions: Does competition truly drive innovation in health care? He argues that cooperation often outperforms competition, citing VA-led safety advances and national patient-safety collaboratives at CMS (like the Partnership for Patients) that rewarded results and spread what worked. He also identifies some of the issues that both health care and politics face in lobbying and the undue influence of moneyed interests.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medi...

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with television host and political commentator S. E. Cupp to explore how a “moderate middle” of Americans can still lead in an era obsessed with extremes. Cupp traces her journey from Republican insider to independent conservative, sharing why principles—not parties—guide her in politics and public health. They break down how nearly every hot‑button health topic gets pulled into political trenches, and what it takes to build real inroads of agreement.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600...

In part 2, S. E. Cupp digs into how to maintain integrity in a chaotic media environment. She distinguishes healthy scientific and journalistic skepticism from conspiratorial content spirals — and explains why some “alternative voices” deserve a hearing while others don’t. Cupp shares how she sets firm on‑air boundaries (including saying no to harmful pairings) to protect her family, her audience, and her mental health — and how those choices can improve the public conversation.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making b...

Host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with television host and political commentator S. E. Cupp to explore how a “moderate middle” of Americans can still lead in an era obsessed with extremes. Cupp traces her journey from Republican insider to independent conservative, sharing why principles—not parties—guide her in politics and public health. They break down how nearly every hot‑button health topic gets pulled into political trenches, and what it takes to build real inroads of agreement.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600...

In part 2, S. E. Cupp digs into how to maintain integrity in a chaotic media environment. She distinguishes healthy scientific and journalistic skepticism from conspiratorial content spirals — and explains why some “alternative voices” deserve a hearing while others don’t. Cupp shares how she sets firm on‑air boundaries (including saying no to harmful pairings) to protect her family, her audience, and her mental health — and how those choices can improve the public conversation.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making b...

In the first half of host Sandra Lindsay’s conversation with Tareq Aro, MD, urologist, he strips away the fear and mystery surrounding kidney stones. He explains how stones form, why they’re on the rise, and what’s raising the risk for most people. Even better, Dr. Aro provides clear and simple advice on how to prevent the stones from causing trouble in the first place.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healthcare provider and private employer, with 28 hospitals, 890 outpatient facilities and more than 16,600 affiliated physicians.

We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinst...

In part 2, Dr. Aro explains why many stones are “silent”  — and why they suddenly announce their presence with the classic flank pain, which is among medicine’s most intense. He not only clarifies what to do in the moment, but also the options available to patients, including effective new treatments. Stay tuned for his checklist of behaviors that can help, along with advice on avoiding the stones altogether. checklist to help avoid ranging from minimally invasive treatments to of recurrence if nothing changes—and an empowering checklist to lower your risk.

Northwell is New York State’s largest healt...

In the first episode of this two-part discussion, host Chethan Sathya, MD, sits down with entrepreneur Mark Cuban for a candid look at why Cuban has set his sights on fixing the economics of healthcare. Cuban shares how the “power of broke” shaped his risk mindset, why curiosity beats bravado, and how democratized knowledge and AI are lowering the barrier to entrepreneurship. He unpacks the origin and mission of his new pharmacy business, Cost Plus Drugs, which is all about radical price transparency, straightforward markups, and passing savings to patients. He also discusses his new pushes into mobile pharmaceutical manu...